Game Notes: Trinity Collegiate vs. Laurence Manning
OPENING KICKOFF: Friday's Non-Region matchup marks the 7th meeting between Trinity Collegiate (5-3) and Laurence Manning (4-4) in a series that dates back to 2021. The all-time series is tied at 3-3, with Titans taking both the last matchup overall and the last matchup in Darlington in 2022. It is also senior night for eleven members of the Titan varsity football team.
WHEN LAST WE MET: In a thrilling matchup in Manning, the Titans converted on a 4th & 1 from inside their own 30-yard line with less than two minutes remaining to seal a 28-25 victory. Davidson Lynch (Florence, SC/All Saints Epsicopal Day School) passed for 221 yards and three touchdowns. He also connected on all four extra point attempts. Lynch also rushed for 64 yards to help pace the Titan offense. Defensively, Mac Burch (Florence, SC/All Saints Episcopal Day School) led the way for the Titan defense with 13 tackles, including one for loss. Walker Willcox, Jr. (Florence, SC/Royall Elementary School) also chipped in with eight tackles, three for loss, and a sack. The Titan defense picked off the Swampcat quarterback twice and James Herbert had a key fumble recovery.
LAST TIME OUT: The Titans fell on the road to region opponent Wilson Hall, 35-18. Following a Wilson Hall three-and-out, Parker Phipps (Florence, SC/All Saints Episcopal Day School) connected on a 29-yard field goal to give the Titans a 3-0 lead. After a Baron touchdown, the Titans would retake the lead on a 43-yard pass from Davidson Lynch to Desmond Williams II (Florence, SC/Wilson High School), but the Barons would pull away in the second and third quarters. Robert Mack (Hartsville, SC/Hartsville Middle School) punched in a touchdown and two point conversion in the fourth quarter to cut the Baron lead to 17. The Titans would follow up with a successful onside kick, but time would expire before they could find the endzone again. Williams II set school records for both receptions (15) and receiving yards (238) in the game. It is the second time this season he has set the single game receiving yardage mark. Defensively, Walker Willcox, Jr. paced the Titans with 14 tackles and a fumble recovery. Matthew Dameron (Hartsville, SC/Hartsville Middle School) would chip in with eight tackles, tying a career high, and a forced fumble for Trinity as well.
WITH HONORS: Several Titans players rank among the national and state leaders in various statistical categories. Walker Willcox, Jr. ranks tied for 63rd nationally in tackles with 117. This is good for second among all South Carolina schools and first in SCISA and the Pee Dee Region. Davidson Lynch ranks 10th in South Carolina in passing yards and third in SCISA. Garrison Copeland ranks eighth in South Carolina in receiving yards.
LEADING THE WAY: The Titans have a senior-heavy squad this year, with eleven total seniors on the roster. They are: Oliver Brodie (Charleston, SC/Briggs Elementary School), Mac Burch, Johnathan Charles (Florence, SC/Wilson High School), Drew Cockrell (Chesterfield, SC/Chesterfield Ruby Middle School), Johnathon Cottingham (Darlington, SC/Darlington Middle School), Matthew Dameron, Kyler Johnson (Darlington, SC/Darlington Middle School), Davidson Lynch, Jy'ell Preston (Darlington, SC/Darlington Middle School), Walker Willcox, Jr. and Desmond Williams II.
STRONG FOUNDATION: The Titans are playing their 17th season of football, entering play with a 114-81 overall record. After spending their first three seasons playing eight-man football, during which they recorded a 9-21 (.300) record, the Titans are 105-60 (.636) since moving to eleven-man football for the 2012 season. Trinity is the only SCISA school to have competed across all five classifications of football offered by the league (eight-man, 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A).
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Eighth Grader Dre'den Bethea (Florence, SC/JL Cain Elementary School) is the third leading receiver for the Titans this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS STANDOUT: Parker Phipps connected on his second field goal of the season in three attempts.
DEFENSIVE DYNAMO: Walker Willcox, Jr. leads the Titan defense from the inside linebacker position. Willcox ranks tied for 63rd nationally with 117 tackles, 27 of which went for loss. He ranks tied for second nationally in tackles for loss. He has also forced two fumbles and recovered one as well.
TWO-WAY STAR: Robert Mack impacted all three phases of the game. Offensively, he scored a touchdown and a two point conversion. Defensively, he collected three tackles, one for loss, and a sack. On special teams, he blocked a Baron extra point.
DEFENSIVE STATEMENT: The 139 points allowed on the season are the least allowed by a Trinity defense in their first eight games since allowing 94 points during the 2013 season, which only spanned eight total games.
TITAN TIDBITS: This is the second game in the history of Trinity Collegiate football to be played on October 24th. The Titans are 1-0 on this date. On October 24th, 2014 the Titans defeated Pee Dee Academy 36-7…Despite this being an annual series, this is the first meeting between the Swampcats and Titans in Darlington since 2022. On October 28th, 2022 the Titans defeated Laurence Manning 28-0 on senior night in the last matchup between the two teams on Kraikit Field.
COACHES' CORNER: Shawn Fagan enters his first season as Head Football Coach at Trinity Collegiate School, bringing 14 years of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels. He has a record of 5-3 at Trinity Collegiate School. A Florence, SC native, Fagan attended Charleston Southern University, where he earned his degree and began his coaching career. From 2008–2011, Fagan served at Charleston Southern as a student assistant on defense before coaching outside linebackers. During his tenure, the Buccaneers posted the highest win percentage in the Big South Conference and competed against top-ranked opponents, including the No. 1 Florida Gators in 2009. Fagan's coaching journey has taken him to a variety of programs, including Kentucky Christian University (Running Backs Coach, 2015), Northwood Academy (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Special Teams Coordinator, 2016–2018), Cathedral Academy (Head Coach, 2019–2021), Pinewood Preparatory School (Co-Offensive Coordinator, 2022), and St. John's Christian Academy (Running Backs/Special Teams, 2023; Offensive and Defensive Line Coach, 2024). His leadership has helped teams earn multiple postseason appearances, including a playoff berth with Northwood in 2016, a semifinal run with Pinewood Prep in 2022, and a playoff appearance with St. John's in 2023.
THE WORD ON LAURENCE MANNING: This is Laurence Manning's 9th game of the 2025 season. The Swampcats are 4-4 on the year with losses to Heathwood Hall, Northwood Academy, Pinewood Prep and Hammond. They have victories over John Paul II, Wilson Hall, Ben Lippen and Cardinal Newman. Both teams had bye weeks last week. This is the third game this season that will see Coach Fagan square off against another coach who is also in their first season at a school.
